I atttend a gym in Canberra and arrive there at opening time several times a week. This is before dawn and the car-park has lights in it. At this time, before too many cars turn up, many Common Mynas and Pied Currawongs frequent this area to feed on insects attracted to the lights. This week a pair of Masked Lapwings has joined them. On Monday I observed that one of the MLs was sitting on the ground. When I approached it rose and hobbled away, looking to have a badly-sprained ankle which buckled every time it put its foot down. By today, however, it seemed to be in only mild dicomfort and it could walk almost normally on this leg.
This is the first time I have noted a wild bird injured, and then the same individual (presumably) apparently recovering.
A ridiculously tame male Magpie-lark we call ‘Mud’ frequents our place from time to time. Periods of absence include one of around a year. Easily identified as an individual by one displaced wing feather (through several moults), its behaviour, obvious familiarity, (enters the house between our legs) and demanding demeanour (eats cheese not pet mince). On one occasion it appeared after several days absence with one leg totally closed and useless, the other partially immobilised, both badly tangled in fine fibres which could have come from a shag carpet. After a few visits I caught it by hand and my wife cut away the fibres with pointed scissors ignoring its deafening protestations. We did the least bent leg first and that came good by the time we had freed the other. The second leg took longer but could bear its weight within minutes although closed for days. Another of our sins is that we feed a family of Magpies. Last winter the adult male was seriously injured on one side suffering damage to a wing and head. I suspect it was hit by a car while attempting to eject last years young from the territory. It was too sick to eat and barely moved from a secure perch for days. I thought a sick bird was a dead bird and one this sick could not possibly survive. But it did and has produced another youngster. However I doubt that it would without the supplementary food we provide.
Mike Carter 30 Canadian Bay Road Mount Eliza VIC 3930 Tel (03) 9787 7136
Hi John – very interesting!
I saw the same with a Magpie-lark in Port Melbourne. She was limping so badly over a week or more, and her general health was declining dramatically, so I tried to capture her. I failed. I didn’t see her again for a couple of months and assumed she had died. Lo and behold, she re-appeared looking 100% – no limp, no noticeable damage to the leg. It was definitely the same bird (I have all my locals identified)
Twice we have captured local Magpie-larks with string wrapped around their feet, removed the string, dabbed with Betadine and released them. Both of them have recovered beautifully and incredibly quickly and gone on to live for years afterwards. The local male now has another foot problem that is causing a very serious limp, but I am feeling reluctant to catch him if he has a chance of recovering by himself. It looks like a pox virus – swellings on the digits.
I am beginning to wonder if birds have a remarkable ability to recover from foot and leg injuries?
By the way I am a licensed wildlife foster carer, so all this has been done legally.
Janine JANINE DUFFY Director Marketing & Research ECHIDNA WALKABOUT PO Box 370 Port Melbourne 3207 AUSTRALIA Email: janine@echidnawalkabout.com.au Web: http://www.echidnawalkabout.com.au Tel: +61 (0)3 9646 8249 Fax: +61 (0)3 9681 9177 ABN: 72 716 985 505 Sent via Blackberry